Malawi should abolish party manifesto system -Economists

Two leading economists have suggested that Malawi should abolish political party manifesto system and instead adopt a long term national development plan to ensure continuation of development programs even if an administration is voted out of power.

Henry Kachaje and Edward Chilima, chairman and executive director of Economics Association of Malawi made the suggestion in a special sponsored television program Thursday evening.

Kachaje noted Malawi will always lag behind in development programs if its development agenda is set and driven by party manifestos,”When an administration is voted out of power, so goes out its development plans too and all development programs initiated stops.”

He suggested that there should be a national development plan strategy instead spanning say 30 years or more.

“Politicians, during campaign, should be telling Malawians how they would implement the national development agenda for the five years if they are voted into power,” he said.

Chilima, on the other hand said this would be a sure way of continued development.

He said it was pathetic that several development programs had to be stopped in Malawi just because its political administration was out of power.

Malawi has had five political administrations with five presidents since independence and has been independent for over 51 years.

However, the country remains one of the poorest in the world with its people living in grinding poverty and analysts blame politicians for not doing enough to take the nation out of its poverty trap.